On Thursday, Farah was awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya by President Uhuru Kenyatta "in recognition of his remarkable act of valour".

The award is given by the president to acclaim "distinguished and outstanding services rendered to the nation in various capacities and responsibilities".

"He died defending people he did not know. This is because he believed in their right to freedom of worship and he knew that every single life - irrespective of faith - is sacred," Kenyatta said during the State of Nation address in parliament.

"He is a powerful symbol of our country's ambition to attain the full expression of secure and cohesive nationhood, and he is a costly reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting our freedoms.

"I want to tell his children that their father's sacrifice will never be forgotten - and will be long admired."

A social media campaign after Farah's death raised money for the teacher's family [Abdullahi Derow/Al Jazeera]

'Symbol of unity'

Abudallahi Derow, a 26-year-old activist who started a social media campaign in January to raise money for Farah's family, said the teacher's bravery deserved to be honoured.